COVID-19 AND THE OVARIAN VASCULATURE: ACUTE AND LONG- TERM CONSEQUENCES.

YAMILA HERRERO; CANDELA VELAZQUEZ; MAYRA BORDAQUIEVICH; MELANIE NEIRA; DE ZÚÑIGA, IGNACIO; MARTÍNEZ, GUSTAVO; MARIANO LAVOLPE; FLORENCIA VEIGA ; LEOPOLDINA SCOTTI; DALHIA ABRAMOVICH; FERNANDA PARBORELL

Congreso; Reunión anual de sociedades de biociencias; 2023

A correct ovarian function depends on a healthy vascular system, this allows aproper supply of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to the developing follicles.The vascular system requires the coordinated action of angiogenic factors.We previously observed alterations in angiogenic parameters up to 9 monthspost-infection that include a reduction in VEGF levels in the follicular fluid (FF)of recovered COVID-19 patients, decreased endothelial cell migration, andincreased genomic damage in an endothelial cell line (EA.hy926) stimulatedwith FF from recovered COVID-19 patients. So far, no study has evaluated theeffect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on angiogenesis over longer periods in thefemale gonad. The objective was evaluate angiogenic parameters in patients who havesuffered from COVID-19 up to 18 months post-infection.A total of 85 women (21–43 years old) under ART were recruited from 4reproductive medicine institutions. The patients were classified into: the controlgroup (n=30) (no positive test for COVID-19) and the post-COVID-19 group(n=55) (at least one positive test by PCR). EA.hy926 cells were incubated withFF from either control or post-COVID-19 patients. The endothelial migration,angiogenic markers (VEGF, ANGPT-1, ANGPT-2), and nuclear DNA damagewere analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA followed byTukey's test or t-test.After 18 months of COVID-19 infection, VEGF levels in FF from recoveredCOVID-19 patients did not differ from those in the control group. Stimulationwith FF from post-COVID-19 patients resulted in a significant decrease inendothelial cell migration compared with control FF (p < 0.0001). In addition,ANGPT-1, ANGPT-2, VEGF, and γH2AX protein expression unchanged as wellas in protein levels when cells were stimulated with either control or post-COVID-19 FF.In conclusion, our results show that ovarian angiogenesis is partially restored 18months after COVID-19 infection.